Mr. Osie Kyie Mensah-Bonsu, Deputy Majority Chief Whip on Monday announced a compromise position by the New Patriotic Party to back the demand of the National Democratic Congress to extend the National Reconciliation Bill to the first republic.
He said he had proposed an amendment to the Bill when the minority group in parliament lost the vote on the issue and boycotted proceedings in the house.Mr. Mensah-Bonsu was speaking at a symposium on, "Majority and Minority relations in parliament: "Prescription for a good governance", at the 53 annual new year school under way at the University of Ghana, Legon organised by the Institute of Adult Education on the theme: "Good governance and sustainable national development."
He said, "if the minority group have exercised patience for the result on the vote on his proposed amendment, there would have been no need for the walkout during the final debate on the bill."
He said the NPP had always stressed the need for consensus building on all matters affecting the interest of the nation so that the focus of parliament was not diverted. He, however, explained that the NPP limited the debate on the Reconciliation Bill to only the military regimes because they were covered by transitional provisions that made it impossibly for aggrieved persons to seek redress for the extra judicial actions they suffered.Mr. Mensah-Bonsu said "any form of infringement against the fundamental human rights of any Ghanaian by present or past government should be condemned by Parliament in the interest of the country's evolving democracy.
He said the constitutional provisions making it mandatory for the executive to nominate 51 percent of ministers from parliament adversely affect the decision of the majority in the house.
The Majority, therefore, look forward to increase co-operation with the minority to forge a unity of purpose in the development process.Mr. Doe Ajaho, Minority Chief Whip said some development in parliament shows that the majority do not want to help the minority in keeping the executives on its toes and accountable to the people.
He cited an amendment motion he moved asking for a supplementary estimate on why the government was spending over and above 122.5 billion cedis of what was legally authorised to be spent in the appropriation act was dismissed."The majority voted against the motion clearly they do not want to embarrass their government, as I stand here I do not no what the 122.5 billion cedis is being spent on.
Indeed the greater part of the amount was already spent before the presentation of the mid-year budget review."Mr. Ajaho said this attitude not only subverted good governance but it also breed mistrust and suspicion between the majority and minority."Indeed it makes nonsense of the zero tolerance for corruption slogan of the NPP government, especially when one comes to realise that development moneys were misapplied."
